That's the problem. Even when exact rules are in place, you are all too often still at the mercy of the officer you happen to be dealing with.

I have no idea why, but based on posts I've read on various boards for years, Chiang Mai's immigration office seems to stand out as unreasonable much more often than most others.

Shortly after New Year, that's when my own next address report is due. I guess I'll personally find out if all of a sudden Pattaya's immigration office expects people to file a new address report when they've traveled within Thailand. Since my last report, I've been back and forth to Bangkok several times and haven't reported any of those trips to immigration.

When we update here in CM (which may be the same procedure elsewhere), all you do is hand them your passport (with the TM30 Notice of Receipt stapled in the back, much like a 90-day Notice of Receipt), they check you out on their computer, and then they just put another date stamp on your TM30 Notice of Receipt (or print you out a new one if it's too ragged and then date-stamp that). When they are checking you out on their computer, they can see the TM30 filings that were done by others (usually hotels) when you've stayed elsewhere in Thailand. In my case, they don't even comment about it (i.e., the officers I've run into don't care about updating when you're only gone within country). I really doubt if you'll run into any issues ....but god/buddha only knows.

There is a lot of frustration up here in Chiangmai about how CM Immigration is working (well, not working). Our expats club had a few Immigration officers give a presentation at a meeting in October of 2015 and the officers used a few graphs showing how many items (annual extensions, 90-day reports, etc.) that Chiangmai was handling every year compared to Chiangrai (CM, as you might guess, did 3-5 times as many). When they were asked about how many immigration officers Chiangrai had compared to Chiangmai, the unbelievable answer was that Chiangrai had more immigration officers. That, in large part (besides the different rules by different officers), lies our problem.

Geez, they know our address from our annual extensions, our 90-day reports, and even from our TM6 departure cards. Besides being a money maker, the TM30 routine is just an additional waste of time and involves immigration officers that could be doing more important things.

Then there is the TM28 joke....the TM28 being the form that a foreigner self-reports his/her address. This little baby is covered by the same statute that deals with the TM30. Yet, based on almost all reports from people who've tried to file those at CM Immigration, those are handed back and the people are told that Immigration doesn't want them or even know what to do with them. That, too, could change (hmmm....wonder what the fine will be for not filing one of those?).

Why Immigration won't hire some 18-year-old techie to design a reasonable online system is beyond me. Designed simply, one would just go to the Immigration website and click on a button that said 90-day report. Up would come a page where you would insert your last name and your passport number (or just your departure card number), push a submit button, and then a page would come up with all your information. Then you'd have two choices: (1) click on a button that says something like "Same address and print" or (2) click on a button that says something like "New Address" and you'd then fill in the new address and print it out. This, of course, would be far too simple.

I do my 90-day reporting by mail because I've never been able to get the online doohickey to work. In a way, I've wished that Immigration would make it mandatory that everyone does it by mail or online so it would eliminate (in Chiangmai) another horde (up to 200 per day) people showing up to clog up the office (thus allowing another officer or two to be available to do more important work). Alternatively, charge those that insist on showing up in person and use that money to hire another officer or two.

It could be easy and simple....which is probably why it'll never happen.

They've talked about an online system for years. They even put one online. Trouble is, it doesn't work or intermittently at best. What's so difficult about establishing a working online system?

I don't understand what they need these address reports for in the first place. Unless I'm missing something, it would seem far more reasonable and would actually make sense if people have to submit an address report when they first establish an address and never have to report again unless their address changes.

For example, I've lived at the same address ever since moving to Thailand years ago. My address has never changed. What do they need with me reporting the same address every 90 days?

Oh well, as Geezer says, "The day I don't like it in Thailand anymore, I know where the airport is."

This whole thing goes beyond absurd. At least they only require you to do an address report upon returning to Phuket. I don't know how they could expect people to report to an immigration office when traveling in Thailand since there are thousands of places you might go that are nowhere near an immigration office.

Hotels are supposed to do the address reporting when you're staying somewhere other than your registered home address. That's fine, but suppose you're not staying at a hotel. What if you are staying at a friend's home? What then, especially if it's out in the boondocks somewhere and the nearest immigration office is hundreds of miles away?

And it seems to me that Phuket's requirement to submit a new address report upon returning from a foreign country violates Thailand's own immigration law. What happened to the obligation to submit an address report only after 90 days upon return from a foreign country, assuming you have a reentry permit? Having to report virtually immediately must be loads of fun when returning from a long haul trip, your destination is nowhere near an immigration office, and it's a weekend. That gives a whole new meaning to "You can't go home again."

Reporting in (TM30) only applies to those holding Tourist Visas who leave Thailand and then return again. Non immigrant (Retirement) Visa holders DO NOT have to report in...other than the routine 90 day reporting.

Regardless if a farang is holding a tourist or a Non immigrant visa he Does Not have to report in to anyone if traveling within the Kingdom.

If Immigration up in Chiang Mai is manufacturing their own twisted policy (and I seriously doubt this is happening) I would suggest paying the fine to the immigration officer with a smile and a nod and then report it to your Embassy immediately for clarification.

Dodger wrote:Reporting in (TM30) only applies to those holding Tourist Visas who leave Thailand and then return again.

Even that makes no sense to me. Most people traveling on a tourist visa or the 30-day privilege are going to be staying in hotels and the hotels supply the information to immigration. Why should a tourist have to go to immigration to report where he is staying, especially if he is staying nowhere near an immigration office?

I've heard if you are staying far from an immigration office and not staying in a hotel, it is acceptable to report to the nearest police station. I don't know whether that's true, but that's what I've heard.

I could kinda-sorta see it if the tourist is staying somewhere other than a hotel, such as with a friend, but that seems like a ridiculous inconvenience to the tourist.

Gaybutton wrote:Most people traveling on a tourist visa or the 30-day privilege are going to be staying in hotels and the hotels supply the information to immigration.

Could be wrong...but I don't believe there is a requirement for hotels to report anything to the immigration offices. Evan if they were they (The Thais) don't have the types computer systems/programs or necessary training and skills to support the tracking of people effectively.